Look at it this way: you need two things to be a writer--rejections and acceptances. You've got the rejection now, so you're halfway there, right? Right! Matt, if you're telling me it's supposed to be a 1:1 ratio I've got a huge pile of acceptances headed my way. Aaaaaaaaaaany minute now... Gods, i...

Most of my reading now is audiobooks through Audible, as I have an hour's commute each way. I'll also read on my Kindle some nights, but that tends to be short fiction magazines before sleep. Writing tends to be 2-3 hours a night on weeknights, so I guess it's about 50-50. You can't write without re...

I don't think we'd ever evolve the slot for a brain chip because there'd be no evolutionary pressure to drive that change. Any change needs to be sexually advantageous in sufficient numbers over sufficient time (where both factors vary depending on the reproduction habits and lifespan of the species...

Seconding everything YM says above. In particular, singular they pronouns (and other neopronouns) are pretty well accepted across the board in most short markets now, and very few would have a problem with it, if any. "it might not appeal to a wider audience"--don't write for them. Write f...

As a writer I don't reply, unless (very rarely) there's an explicit request for "please let us know if this is okay". (Not sure if I've ever actually seen it, or am imagining it.) As a slusher, I don't mind a reply, but that's because (at PodCastle) bump notices usually go out from the slu...

Well... aburt has rather overreacted to the introduction of GDPR and blanket-banned EU members from the site. I can visit, I can log in, but I can't view the queue. Which is rather unnecessary, as he clearly had consent for the basis of processing, but there it is: after five full years, I'm no long...

SMF should include contact information unless guidelines explicitly state otherwise. I know Mike Resnick for one uses that contact info. A manuscript and a cover letter do not always travel hand in hand, if an editor reads on physical copies or an eReader, for example. FWIW if I'm submitting anonymo...

Lukewarm would be someway of saying "send in another story" evidently editors who say that mean it and aren't just being nice or polite. Hot would be a personal comment, especially if it says you were close. FWIW this is what we do at PodCastle. There are 4 tiers of rejections, available ...

Coulda sworn I'd posted this already, but it's not up there so I must not've clicked submit: congratulations both! Hell of an achievement wotf013 anything you want to ask about/talk about ahead of the workshop, my DMs are open on Twitter and my email's on my site. There's usually a group set up by N...

. Constantly writing in my mind, rarely getting it typed up. For years that is how I wrote. I hardly ever typed out anything. A couple(literally) of times I tried I got stuck on which way the story should go, then it became too much like work. I've started thinking in Notepad for things like this--...

Good reminder. This is probably why it's taken me 17 years to even submit a story. It's a 100% non-rejection rate for unsubmitted stories. A rejection is closer to success than an unsubmitted non-rejection. wotf011 Every published writer gets rejections and acceptances. Therefore, if you get a reje...

Got a rejection today... yet another in a long string of form rejections. I know these folks don't have time to spare for lowly folks like me, but this one tripped me up and got me in a funk all damned day. You asked for a specific style of story, I provided said story in that style (and really lik...

(In fact, I've always wondered how they ever manage to agree on the same top 3). I know this is true for the Golden Pen, and I think it's true for the quarters as well: they rank them in order of preference, and then ASI tally up points from that. This was my great advantage of the v32 1st place wi...

Here's an idea, since Sean Hazlett dropped by (hi Sean!). Why don't we fill the short jaunt to 5000 with advice on how to win the contest from former winners. It can be something you did that turned the page, something you learned at the workshop, something someone told you on a critique, advice fr...

How much time are the illustrators given to finish their artwork for the stories? Maybe that's their 24 hour challenge? lol ~Morgan I think it's a few months--once the Q4 results are in around January and stories can be assigned, I guess. I know they submit a few sketches and the illustrator judge ...

Hello all, checking in briefly. They’ve got us running pretty hard, but we’re all in the midst of the 24 hour story right now. Let’s see what I can pull out of a hat being inspired by a single one dollar bill. Well by my calculations you only owe them 16 words at pro-rates; 17, if you're generous w...

I sold a story to The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction . *faints* Blogged about it here: http://www.ympang.com/i-sold-a-story-to-the-magazine-of-fantasy-and-science-fiction/ It's close to April Fool's. Wouldn't blame y'all if you didn't believe me. Blimey! F&SF is my dream market, and I'...

I am definitely not cycling through the WotF facebook page & blog site & Twitter waiting for photos to appears so I can vicariously relive the week. Nope. Not me. Nuh uh. Have fun, you lucky sods, and make the most of it! (Also note that "make the most of it" includes "hiding ...

Thousands of examples. Ender's Game started as a short. Flowers for Algernon started as a short. Martin is just turning his Clarkesworld short Today I Am Paul into a novel. I can't think of a flash turned into a short--which arguably compete more than shorts v novels--but chances are it would take ...

Spencer Ellsworth is an excellent writer and excellent person, and currently open to work: http://spencerellsworth.com/editing-proofreading-services/ (I thoroughly recommend his space opera trilogy, btw, currently A Red Peace + Shadow Sun Seven with Memory's Blade out next month. This month? Soon, a...

I mentioned being accepted into an anthology of game-tie-in fiction a few months ago and the publisher finally announced it: http://azurekeep.com/portfolio/tales-of-ruma/ Looks like Dave and I are going to be anthology buddies again. /channels Matt Dovey and celebrates success whilst stabbing malic...

But you're about to get the one I covet most of all--the Lexan Impaler! Seriously, doesn't anyone worry about tripping as they walk off the stage with that thing? They should instruct you to hold it point down, like scissors! : ) Cheers! ~Moon~ I still worry about dropping the things every time I p...

I've been in contact with Joni about other matters recently, and she is swamped with finishing up Q4 stuff, which I take to mean she is in the process of getting all of those certificates out to you lovely people. wotf008 "other matters", he says casually wotf001 *casually glances to the ...

Jeremyteg wrote:I've been in contact with Joni about other matters recently, and she is swamped with finishing up Q4 stuff, which I take to mean she is in the process of getting all of those certificates out to you lovely people.